CIB arrests gang members for operating illegal bank

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A total of 13 criminal suspects who allegedly operated an illegal underground bank and used violence to run a funeral service business were arrested by the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB, 刑事局) yesterday.

The 13 suspects were led by a pair of twin brothers surnamed Lin, who belong to the Tiandaoming (天道盟) underground organization. Under the cover of a financial consultancy company, the group offered usurious loans through their illegal banking business and resorted to violence to enforce debt collection.

Members of the group also operated a funeral business and used violence to scare away their competitors. In one incident, a funeral businessman surnamed Tsai accepted a request to prepare a funeral for a client, and as a result, he was badly injured by the gang members.

In the incident, the leader of the gang led a group of more than 20 people to Tsai's office. Tsai offered tens of thousands of New Taiwan dollars in compensation, but Lin was not satisfied and ordered his gang members to assault Tsai.